Gas-regulator for x-ray tubes.



R. H. MAGHLETT. GAS REGULATOR FOR X-RAY TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED 1130.7, 1911.

Patented May 7, 1912.

awe/$0410: V /L Y 1 $151 attozvlm 4 ROBERT H. MACHLETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

I GAS-REGULATOR Fonx-RAY TUBES.'

Specification of Letters Patent, Application filed December 7, 1911. Serial No. 664,459.

Patented May '7, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. MACHLETT, a-citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Regulators for X-Ray Tubes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to devices for regulating the density of gas in X-ray or Rout-gen ray tubes.

As is well known, it is essential to the satisfactory operation of an X-ray tube that the rarefied gas in the tube be maintained within certain limits of density, and that either too little or too great rarefaction of the gas is undesirable. In use, however, the

gas becomes gradually consumed, with the result that it is necessary to occasionally re- 'plenish the gas. I

An object of my invention is to provide improved means for thus replenishing the gas, which may be actuated at any time and which will be eration. I

Another object of my invention is the supply of the particular gas desired for replenishnient with exclusion of air and Without the necessity of reliance on gas generating means.

Other objects of my invention are simplicity of construction and convenience and 5 reliability of operation.

Still other objects of my invention'will appear from the following description. I

My invention comprehends a valve for admitting replenishing gas to an X-ray tube, controlled by the .pressure in a source of replenishing gas and by an external presquick and positive in 0psure, as of-t he atmosphere, and located in a.

coiiduit leading from the sourceofreplenishing gas to the X-ray tube, and 'more'specifically the valve is held in closed position by atmospheric or external pressure and is actuatable for the admission of the replen ishing gas by diminution of the external pressure. sealed by a liquid piston, preferably of merr cury, both to prevent the flow of gas from the gas receptacle to the X-ray tube When' the valve is closed, and to exclude external air at all times. Still more specifically the mercury sealing piston is arranged so that it opens at one end into a receptacle for re- More specifically, the valve is end to atmospheric pressure, and is oper-.

ated by manual means, specifically a hand exhaust pump, to diminish the external pressure at the will of the operator.

'My invention also includes various other features of construction and combinations of parts, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

I shall nowdescribe the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is an elevation of an X-ray tube and a complete gas regulator embodying my invention operatively connected thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are central sectional elevations of the regulator onan enlarged scale, Fig. 2 showing the valve closed and Fig. 3 showing the valve open. i

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, which is shown connected to an X- ray tube 1 of well known construction, I

employ a small gas storage or containing re which I term the mercury tube, provided With'a double bend and having its outer end fused to the wall of the receptacle 2 in -communication with a nipple 4 open to the atmosphere, while its inner end opens into the gas filled interior of the gas receptacle.

Opening into this mercury tube 3, 1n proximity to the inner end of the mercury tube,

is a connecting tube 5, which-is fused at its other end to the wall of the X-ray tube so as to be in communication with the X-ray tube. A plug 7 of porousmaterial, such as a mixture of clay and graphite, is fused into the opening at the inner end of the mercury tube 3, and a plug 8 of similar material is fused into the opening between the mercury tube 3-and the connecting tube 5. A chamber 11 is shown as formed in the connecting tube 5. in proximity to its openinginto the mercury tube. The porous plugsare impervious to mercury, butare porous to the replenishing gas and they permit the gas to.

percolate through them as rapidly as is deof such conduit communicating with the atmosphere. A 'sufficient'amount, of mercury is provided in the mercury tube 3 to extend from the inner end of this tube to a point which is a substantial distance beyond the plug 8, forming a piston of sealing liquid 6 which normally closes the conduit from the Y gas receptacleto the X-ray tube between the porous plugs 7 and 8 and which at all times closes communication from the X-ray tube to the atmosphere.

The pressure .of the gas within the receptacle 2 is always'less than atmospheric pressure, and therefore the atmospheric pressure on the outer end of the mercury piston 6 will exceed that of the gas upon the inner end of the piston, and the atmospheric pressure will normally hold the mer- 'cury piston in sealing position, that is, at the extreme inner end of the mercury tube, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position it fills the space in the tube between the two porous plugs 7 and 8, thereby closing thecommunicating conduit between the gas receptacle 2and the X-ray tube 1, and also extends a sufficient distance beyond the porous plug 8 to prevent communication between the interior of the X-ray tube and the atmosphere. To open the valve thus provided, I employ manually operative means] for reducing the external pressure on the outer end of the mercury piston thereby permitting the gas in the receptacle to force the mercury plston backward sufliciently to open communication between the porous plugs 7 and 8, so that the gas may percolate through the plugs 7 and 8 and pass through the tube 5 into the X-ray tube. These manually operative means consist of a small hand exhaust pump 9 of well known construction connected to'the nipple 4 by a rubber tube 10, and which may be connected or disconnected as desired so that the manually operative means may be connected With a tube only when it is desired to charge the tube. When it is desired to replenish the gas in the X-ray tube 1, the operator has which is thus opened into the X-ray only to operate the pump 9 and reduce the external pressure just enough to permit the mercury valve to 0 en suificiently to unseal the plugs 7 an 8, when the gas will pass through the communicating condlgit tu e. A single quick operation will usually effect a sufiicient replenishment of the gas pressure in the X-ray tube. The return to normal sealing condition quickly follows the restoration of normal pressure in the tube 10.

It is obvious that various modifications tube held in closed position by external pressure and actuatable to open communication between the source of gas and the tube by a diminution of the external pressure.-

2. A gas. regulator for an X-ray tube comprising, in combination with a source of gas of greater pressure than that in the X- ray tube, a valve for admitting gas to the X-ray tube held inclosed osition by external pressure and actuatab e to open communication between the source of gas and the tube by a diminution of external pressure, and manually controlled means for diminishing the external pressure.

3. A gas regulator for an X-ray tube comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit leading from the receptacle to the X-ray tube, and a valve controlled by the pressure of gas in the receptacle and also by an external pressure and located in such conduit so as to control communication between the receptacle and the X-ray tube.

4. A gas regulator for an X-ray tube comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit leading from the receptacle to the X-ray tube, and a valve controlled by the pressure of gas in the receptacle and also by an external pressure and located in such conduit so as to control communication between the receptacle and the X-ray tube, and manually operative means for varying the external pressure.

5. A gas regulator for an X-ray tube comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit between the receptacle and the X- ray tube, and a closure for the conduit held in closed position by external pressure in opposition to the pressure of gas in the receptacle and actuatable to open the conduit by a diminution of the external pressure.

6. A gas .regulator for an X-ray tube comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit between the receptacle and the X-ray tube, a closure for the conduit held in closed position by external pressure in opposition to the pressure of gas in the receptacle and actuatable to open the conduit by a diminution of external pressure, and manually operative means for diminishing the external pressure. A

.7. A gas regulator for an X-ray tube comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit between the receptacle and the X-ray tube, and a sealin liquid adapted to serve as a closure for th the control of the pressure of gas in the receptacle and also of an external ressure.

8. A gas regulator for an -ray tube comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit between the receptacle and the X-ray tube, a sealing liquid adapted to serve as a closure for the conduit under the control of the pressure of gas in the receptacle and also of an externalpressure, and manually operative means for regulating the external pressure.

9. A gas regulator for an X-ray tube comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit between the receptacle and the X-ray tube, and a valve arranged in control of the conduit and comprising a piston of mercury normally held in sealing position by an external pressure and adapted to be moved out of sealing position by the pressure of the gas, and manually operative means for diminishing the external pressure. i I

10. A gas regulator for X-ray tilbes comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit between the receptacle and the X- ray tube, two porous plugs disposed in the conduit, and a piston of sealing liquid ar ranged to be held by an external pressure in the conduit between the two plugs to seal the conduit and to be moved out of sealing position by the pressure of the gas in the receptacle, and manually operative means for diminishing the external pressure.

11. A gas regulator for X-ray tubes comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating conduit between the receptacle and the X- ray tube, a branch of such conduit normally subjected to an external pressure, two porous plu s disposed in the conduit, and a piston 0% sealing liquid normally in such.

conduit between the two plugs to close communication through such conduit from the receptacle and movable to open such communication, the piston of sealing liquid extending at all times in the branch of the conduit beyond the plugs.

12. A gas regulator for X-ray tubes come conduit under prising a gas receptacle, 9. communicating conduit between. the receptacle and the X- ray tube, a branch of such conduit normally subjected toan external pressure, two porous plugs disposed in the conduit, a piston of sealing liquid normally in such conduit between the two plugs to close com munication through such conduit from the receptacle and movable to open such communication under the pressure of gas in the receptacle in opposition to. the external pressure, the piston of sealing liquid extending at all times in the branch of the conduit beyond the plugs, and. manually operative means for diminishing the external pressure.

13. A gas regulator for X-ray tubes comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating condu1t between the receptacle and the X- ray tube, a branch of such conduit normally subjected to an external pressure, two porous plugs disposed in the conduit, and a piston of mercury normally in such conduit between the two plugs to close communication through such conduit from the receptacle and movable to open such communication, the mercury piston extending at all times;, in the branch of the conduit beyond the plugs.

14. A gas regulator for X-ray tubes comprising a gas receptacle, a communicating from the receptacle and movable to open such communication under the pressure of gas in the receptacle in opposition to the external pressure;, the mercury piston extending at all times in the branch of the conduit beyond the plugs, and a manually operative exhaust pump to diminish the external pressure.

In testimony whereof Lhave affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT H. MACHLETT.

Witnesses:

BERNARD Cowmv, HARRY G. LEwrs. 

